Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Sharyn asked about the wool I used in my Ruby Red Dots book. The Ruby Red Dots quilt and the Valentina's Baby quilt are the quilts with wool dots. I use the wool just like I would a piece of cotton. There are two ways I adhere the wool. 1-- I have drawn and cut the circles out of fusible web (I like Wonder under because it is cheaper and I use a lot of it...and it is thinner than other brands....if I do use something else, I like Steam a Seam 2)2-- But when I am doing a lot of dots like these quilts, I cut out the circle shapes with a pair of scissors and use a glue stick to place them down to the foundation piece.Now about wool. If you are using 100% wool or wool felt (felt that feels like wool but is not 100%) they both need to be washed and dried in the dryer for shrinkage because it WILL shrink...trust me! You can wash the piece in the kitchen sink in hot water and use a small amount of soap. I rinse them in hot water a few times, then in cold water a few more times. Then put the piece in the dryer with an old towel and dry until just about dry. Then I like to iron the piece so it is flat....they cut out better because they are not so fluffy. COLOR BLEEDING: I think all wool and wool felt will continue to bleed color as long as you keep hot water on it. After you rinse in cold water you shouldn't be getting any color. So WASH your finished quilts in cold water and hang to dry or use cool setting in the dryer. I like to have my quilts washable, dryable and USABLE! ~~~SEWING: I just use a mono filament thread, I like the YLI brand because it is thin, my machine likes it....find one that will work in your machine.. (even if you have to try a couple of kinds...it's worth the money to find the right one for your own sewing machine) and a small zig-zag, about a 1- stitch length and a 1-stitch width and go around each circle. The dots in the Ruby Red Dots book are about the size of a dime. This is where I like the glue stick even better than the fusible web because they stick better when they are so small. You might ask why the wool...I like the juxtaposition of the wool and cotton.Sharyn, I hope that answered your questions...you can always email me!

Monday, June 28, 2010

However, the cream frame looks great on the newly painted aqua walls in my laundry room.

What a happy place to do laundry! I personally have never minded doing laundry...although I only have 3 children and they had been doing their own laundry since they were teenagers....but now it is an even more cheerful place to be! I only painted one wall and the bead board in the shelves...which by the way are 2 old drawers put back to back. I had my husband add the bead board and nailed the old picket fences to the front. After we had made it, he asked what it was? I told him it was going in the laundry room above the washer...he asked, "REALLY?" I think he thought I was kidding! I LOVE IT!

I found this darling aqua pot at Real Deals...love that store. A mini Tai Pan trading.Paint a wall in your laundry room! You will love it!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

When I was a kid my mom and her friend used to go to yard sales, estate sales and thrift stores...I remember hearing my mom call up Shirley and say, "Do you want to go junk'in?" So off we would go. I learned at a young age to appreciate other people's junk! I found this at my favorite thrift store today for $5.00. SCORE! It is missing a crystal, but that just means it is gently loved, and turn it to the back who will notice?

And although most of it is plastic, some parts are glass...even the crystals, but I know they are just glass. I am loving the crystal, shiny look with all my old wood.Then I happened onto a huge yard sale and found this painting in a great frame for $2.00....love that!It has great detail and is mostly wood...although it doesn't matter what it is, I am still painting it...yes, you guessed it...CREAM! I soooo want to paint it Aqua....perhaps I will! What do you think? I will just take that painting out...and hang it on the wall, maybe put a wreath in it!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Here is my good friend Bonnie Olaveson from Cotton Wayin her booth at Spring Quilt market. It was such a darling booth! The new fabric line is called, Bliss, out in September! Pink, Red and Aqua...who could ask for more?

Her booth was all about fabric, flowers and chocolate!

Now here I am in the booth modeling a pair of Gingher scissors. The weather was 90-95 degrees with 45% humidity...which meant my hair was FLAT and straight, (since I needed a trim before I left for market and didn't have time to get one.) So I asked Bonnie if she had any scissors so I could trim my hair.....all she had was a pair of Ginghers....they were her bad pair....so yes, I used them and trimmed my hair in the hotel with the Ginghers. I know, it is hard to believe, but it is true! Thank goodness for good friends!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

The four women who left comments on my blog congratulating the winner of my book give away are SIMPLY THE BEST in my book! You ladies took the time not only to check to see if you won, but to leave a comment congratulating someone else who did, that means A LOT to me. I would like to send you all a copy of my book as a thank you for thinking of others. Thanks again!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Congratulations LIZZIE of Australia! You are the winner of an autographed copy of my book, Not Your Grandmother's Quilt! Thank you everyone for your comments....as you can tell it is difficult to choose just one favorite block. The book was very fun to work on....I hope you are able to find a copy. Happy Sewing!

Well, the pinwheel block, (the aqua and brown) was the most favorite....The second from the bottom, the star of hope block; The Garden of Hope quilt was the second favorite by one vote. Can I just say that this is my favorite picture in the entire book and it happens to be of my favorite quilt. The photos for the book were taken at Millet & Co, a darling little antique shop in Greenwood, MO.The third favorite was the bottom block, the ohio star: The Ohio Candy Rose quilt. Personally I like the 8 pointed star best of all the star blocks, but I loved the pink quilt best, you know me and pink!

All the quilts have a recipe that goes with the block name or the name of the quilt. The recipe for this Ohio Candy Rose quilt is, Ohio Pioneer Apple Cake that is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I will tell you when I made it my poor husband got about 3 pieces and I ate the rest in 2 days....yes it was that good!

Monday, June 7, 2010

This is the back cover of my new book, Not Your Grandmother's Quilt showing a block from each of the six quilts. Tell me which one is your favorite and you will be entered in the give a way for your very own copy!! Thanks to the Kansas City Star publishers, Kimber Mitchell my editor, Bob Deck the designer and Aaron Leimkuehler the photographer. You can purchase book directly from Kansas City Star through their Pickledish quilting site: Click on the "Click here to shop our library" at the top left. Also books can be found on Amazon. com or at ask your local quilt shop if they have them because they can get them if you want to support your local stores....me, I like to shop local if I can.

International entries welcome. Winner will be announced Thursday, June 10th.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Remember the swap I participated in from Swap for All Seasons? Well, my package came from Shawnee and oh my goodness was it just like Christmas! The swap had to include: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and an old wedding photo.All my packages were wrapped in old pattern tissue....how cute is that?

They each had a little tag.

Something blue was this crocheted felted bag...big enough for all my crochet yarn....so soft and wonderful! It is quite big...this picture does not do it justice.

I also got a new pair of little embroidery scissors....you can NEVER have enough little scissors....I never leave the sewing room with the scissors, but I am forever looking for them!

Look at this little parasol filled with potpourri...it is old and very sweet.

These books were borrowed from someone else....and I got them. So fun to see the older quilts. I read through this one and all the quilts have 100-1000's of pieces....they are works of art!

This picture frame and photo are precious....this is Shawnee's mom...how wonderful to have a photo like that.

Then I opened this sweet little tea pot with it's own little tea basket inside. It will go with my other little pitchers and tea pots.

Then to top it all off was this card. It untied at the waist and opened just like a real apron. There is even a little tiny tag in the pocket that reads, "hand crafted" So small, it looks like it should be in a Cinderella story for the little mice.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

I saw this ad in the Country Living magazine two months in a row now....and love that green/blue fabric by Jennifer Paganelli. I emailed her and asked about it. She said it done for Sunbrella and that it was very soft.....I need it for a bed skirt to go with my Dresden plate....and now that I have seen it again, I want it even more! Those magazine people sure know how to get you thinking!

About Me

Hi, I am Sheri Howard a quilt and doll designer, and recently, Art Journalist. I have the best life. I love to sew and design, play with my grandchildren! I have a very supportive husband, three very smart talented children, and seven wonderful grandchildren.